The Glass Kunoichi: Chapter 2
by The Otaku Writing Freaks
Summary: In a world of shinobi, your abilities are everything and Akane Kato has a particularly dangerous bloodline jutsu possessing unheard of defensive capabilities. Word of her talent falls on evil ears one day and an adventure unlike any other mission she's had before is set in motion.


The Glass Kunoichi

by

Spottedleaf9

Chapter 2

I had to stop a few times and Naruto waited for me; patient although he could've rushed on ahead without me. "I'm good...My hand is fine, but you know that I have to check these things." Guilt crossed his eyes at the mention of the fracture in my hand. I'd assured him again and again that it was so much a part of my life I didn't even really care about it, but it was his nature to feel eaten by guilt.

Upon finally reaching the largest building in all of Konoha, we discovered that Kakashi stood out front. "Naruto, Akane, it's about time you got here. I've been waiting a while now." He had his nose in the third volume of Make-Out Tactics. He was always reading this series and insisted that we were too young to know what it was about when I asked; being a reader myself.

Naruto did a double take and protested this. "Kakashi-sensei, you're the one that we're always waiting on, so you're really one to talk!" Putting away his novel, our teacher adjusted himself; standing up straight from the slouch he held against the wall of the massive office behind him.

"For one, I'm the teacher. I reserve the right to teach my students patience at any time. For another, this is the hokage we're talking about. That is one person that you do not make wait for you." As always, Kakashi-sensei had managed to tell Naruto off straight away. Then he turned his one, calm eye toward me. "Akane, you're hurt again?"

I looked down, not wanting to meet his eyes. "I'm sorry, sensei. I try to be as careful as I can, but life continues to happen and not everyone involved in mine is afflicted with the same problems as I am. I continue to train and meditate as you have directed me, but my two mastered chakras are still fighting. The water part of my chakra is still slowly working at the earth part."

Kakashi gave an unexpected smile and spoke before I could do so again. "Akane, it's fine. I'm not talking about you being careful with knowing your own limits again. I was referring to the fact that we've been assigned a dangerous mission and I've been told to take you and Naruto both with me. Tsunade is going to pick one more to accompany us as Sasuke is mysteriously ill." He still seemed troubled and this made me curious. There was something our teacher was not telling us and I doubted he would even once we got on the road.

"How dangerous is it? Did Tsunade-sama finally give me a Class S mission?" Naruto was practically bouncing with the excitement this lent him. All he ever wanted was a for his missions to become continuously more dangerous as time went on.

Kakashi didn't even grace Naruto's question with a laugh. "No, Naruto. Tsunade would never condemn someone your age to die in battle like that."

Stung, Naruto's enthusiasm drained, but it didn't keep him down that long. "What then? What are we doing?" Naruto just couldn't hide his impatience. "Are we travelling out of country again? Are we?" He was right back to his usual loud self; always asking questions and never pausing to hearing the answer.

"We have been assigned to protect a prince as he moves from a country he was visiting, back to his own. He's been travelling incognito so even his own retinue of royal guards had no clue where he was until he sent them a letter saying he was ready to come home. So we were sent for and seeing as all other shinobi of the proper rank are busy or otherwise incapacitated from recent attacks on our village, Tsunade-sama has chosen us to take on this mission ourselves." Kakashi seemed like he was growing annoyed with Naruto's impatience and personally not being a fan of our teacher's lessons on the subject, I interjected before Naruto could speak up and cause some turmoil.

"Alright. We'll pack and meet back here first thing in the morning." I was used to this because it had been the protocol for each of our other out- of-country missions, but Kakashi shook his head as I turned away toward my house to pack the kunai and shurikens into the pouch on my right hip; being left handed.

"No, Akane. We must leave immediately. Pack your things as quickly as possible and return straight away. This is an urgent-summons mission. Our

services are required now." Shaken, I turned away again, having twisted to look at him as he spoke. "Oh, and Akane? Don't leave your medications home this time. An effective kunoichi is one who follows the orders of her team captain; even if she 'really doesn't want to'. I know it sucks, but that's why I'm in charge of your training on top of three other students. Without this medicine now, you'll never be able to reach the point where you no longer need it at all."

Dismissed, I ran home and did as I was told; secretly glad that Sasuke had not been present that day. He would've jeered at me for needing such aid on a regular basis; just to be able to do what my fellows did every day without the same help. I was flawed and that truthfully burned me.


End file.
